Forstner Bit for ash question

[NCJim]

I was turning an ash piece on my lathe. Using a Forsten bit bored a 1-1/2"dia. hole 3-1/2" deep in the center of piece while the piece is still on the lathe. A while back I turned a pepper grinder with the same set-up in a hardwood (not ash) and this worked out well. This time using the same Forsten bit that I got from State Penn it took me more time to drill (in Ash) and I burnt the bit. The bit I used was sharp and used just one of two times before. While drilling I backed off the drilling several times to clear the chips.

So, the question is what brand Forster bit should I use? I want to make a few of these items with less effort and not have to replace the bit. Or is ash just that hard?

 

[bowman]

One option would be to drill the ash in stages, say 1/2", 1", then 1.5". This would be less work on the Penn State bit and reduce the burning. Having a smaller lathe, that's how I do it.

 

[petebucy4638]

I was turning an ash piece on my lathe. Using a Forsten bit bored a 1-1/2"dia. hole 3-1/2" deep in the center of piece while the piece is still on the lathe. A while back I turned a pepper grinder with the same set-up in a hardwood (not ash) and this worked out well. This time using the same Forsten bit that I got from State Penn it took me more time to drill (in Ash) and I burnt the bit. The bit I used was sharp and used just one of two times before. While drilling I backed off the drilling several times to clear the chips.

So, the question is what brand Forster bit should I use? I want to make a few of these items with less effort and not have to replace the bit. Or is ash just that hard?

Resharpening a forester bit is pretty easy. Like woodturning tools, sometimes you get a bit that was not sharpened well at the factory.

 

[wndopdlr]

How fast were you trying to bore the hole? I usually slow my lathe down to a couple hundred RPM, then back the bit out frequently to clear the chips.

 

[NCJim]

How fast were you trying to bore the hole? I usually slow my lathe down to a couple hundred RPM, then back the bit out frequently to clear the chips.

I was drilling at 800-900 RPM. That may be part of the problem. I have to quoit on make 100+ of these items. so I was trying to increase production. I did clear the clips.

 

[NCJim]

Thanks for all the advise. We are going out of town and I wanted to get a quoit in before I left. Think I will put this project off until I get back.

 

[Gofor]

I have had good luck with Freud forstner bits, but have never used them on a lathe, so do not know if the speed would burn them, too.

 

[Mark Johnson]

I like the Famag bit

 

[petebucy4638]

I was drilling at 800-900 RPM. That may be part of the problem. I have to quoit on make 100+ of these items. so I was trying to increase production. I did clear the clips.

I usually bore a lot slower than that with forestner bits. When using larger bits, I'm probably running the lathe under 200 rpm. Primarily to keep the heat down. Even though my bits are pretty good at clearing out the waste, I still pull the bits out frequently to let them cool off. Hardwoods can generate a lot of heat when being bored.

 

[LocoWoodWork]

+1 on slow speed for forstner bits. 8-900 rpm is way too fast IMO.

 

[drw]

Pop-Pop (Mike) introduced me to Fisch Wave Cutter forstner bits; I have found them to cut extremely well and clear chips better than other brands I have used.

 

[NCJim]

Thanks for all the advise. I ordered Freud forstner bit. Will try it with lower RPM's. And try to sharpen the bit that I "toasted".

 

[Jim Wallace]

Pop-Pop (Mike) introduced me to Fisch Wave Cutter forstner bits; I have found them to cut extremely well and clear chips better than other brands I have used.

These Fisch bits are superior in my opinion. I use the setup that doesn’t need a chuck to hold the bit.
Once you have burned the bit it probably won’t hold it’s edge as long as when new.

 

[Wiley's Woodworks]

I discovered an amazing set of forstner bits at a trade show--Rover bits from Bad Dog Tools. Instead of having smooth side walls, there are 2 cutting edges. Any burning caused by friction between the hard wood and the sidewalls of the forstner bit is cut away by the Rover bit, leaving a clean hole.

I do a lot of dowel joinery, and these Rover bits are perfect for barely enlarging a dowel socket hole when I need to finagle a joint for perfect fit. I can get just enough wiggle without hogging out the hole so much the glue won't do its job properly.

 

[NCJim]

These Fisch bits are superior in my opinion. I use the setup that doesn’t need a chuck to hold the bit.
Once you have burned the bit it probably won’t hold it’s edge as long as when new.

Hey Jim,
Thanks for the help. What do you mean by " doesn’t need a chuck to hold the bit". I use a chuck on my lathe to drill when I turn this project.
Jim

 

[Jim Wallace]

I’m sorry, I made a mistake. I have some of the Fisch bits and I like them a lot, but my favorite bits for drilling pepper mills are the Colt Maxi-Cut with the rota stop adapter that avoids needing a chuck by having a #2 Morse taper adapter that holds the bit and any extensions. It’s very secure and seems to have less vibration than using a chuck. Unfortunately, when I looked them up to be able to give you a link I discovered that they are no longer available at any of the sites where I have found them in the past (Lee Valley, Woodturner’s Catalogue, Packard, etc.). I think they are made in France. I don’t know why or when we might be able to get them. For the big and long holes in end grain that are needed for pepper mills they really are the best I’ve found.

 

[Jim Wallace]

I only bought the Colt bits I needed for the crush-grind pepper mills. End grain boring is the toughest. It seems that they are only temporarily unavailable, although no one has a date for the future.

 

[NCJim]

I only bought the Colt bits I needed for the crush-grind pepper mills. End grain boring is the toughest. It seems that they are only temporarily unavailable, although no one has a date for the future.

Thanks Jim. This looks like what I was looking for. I put my email address on the "notify" list. I can get by for awhile using what I have but if things work out I will be making several hundred pieces and this set up will do the trick for production.
Jim

 

[Jim Wallace]

I’m just like everyone else, I bought the bits from Craft Supplies (their house brand) first and wasn’t happy trying to drill into the end grain of hard maple. I had thought how many pepper mills am I going to make? Well they are very popular and the lesson we have to learn over and over is that you should get a good tool to start with.